Very much to my regret, short wave broadcasting is only a shadow of its former self. Oh, I pine for the good old days of huge budgets and the Cold War, when the VOA would duel it out for audience share with Radio Moscow, and every country seemed to be well-represented on short wave. There was so much to listen to in those halcyon days! There was no computer, no Internet, no cable TV, no cell phone, no instant news: if I wanted to find out what was going on in Britain, I would listen to the BBC.

However, I am awfully pleased that there are STILL a lot of broadcasters out there. The Ontario DX Association has an excellent publication called "Listening In," which is free and available monthly on their website. (Thanks, you guys!) I print out a copy of their "World English Survey"--it's sort of a TV Guide for short wave broadcasts, and I keep it next to the radio. (Actually, radios. Too many radios.) Monitoring Times is also a great resource, as is just tuning through the main broadcasting bands. Each broadcaster also has its own website, with information on times, frequencies, and where they're beaming to. Although the BBC doesn't beam to North America any more, they do broadcast to Africa (and elsewhere), and those signals are quite strong.

On pretty much a daily basis, I still listen to the BBC, Radio Australia, Deutsche Welle, Radio Exterior de Espana, Radio Nederland, Radio Romania International, the Voice of Russia, Radio New Zealand, Radio Japan, and Radio Canada International. Radio Croatia has a booming signal but only a 10 minute newscast. There are other broadcasters out there, too: Vatican Radio, Radio Tirana, Radio China International, the VOA, and others.

Over the past two years or so, Radio Sweden has dropped its short wave service, as have, if I am not mistaken, Radio Slovakia and Radio Prague. Polish Radio has cut back on its frequencies.

Before I got my Novice license in 1974, I was a short wave listener. I am still an SWL, and the hobby has given me tremendous enjoyment. If it's been awhile since you've listened to the international broadcasters on 49, 41, or 31 meters, you should give it a try. There are still a lot of interesting and informative programs out there.

Very much to my regret, short wave broadcasting is only a shadow of its former self. Oh, I pine for the good old days of huge budgets and the Cold War, when the VOA would duel it out for audience share with Radio Moscow, and every country seemed to be well-represented on short wave. There was so much to listen to in those halcyon days! There was no computer, no Internet, no cable TV, no cell phone, no instant news: if I wanted to find out what was going on in Britain, I would listen to the BBC.

However, I am awfully pleased that there are STILL a lot of broadcasters out there. The Ontario DX Association has an excellent publication called "Listening In," which is free and available monthly on their website. (Thanks, you guys!) I print out a copy of their "World English Survey"--it's sort of a TV Guide for short wave broadcasts, and I keep it next to the radio. (Actually, radios. Too many radios.) Monitoring Times is also a great resource, as is just tuning through the main broadcasting bands. Each broadcaster also has its own website, with information on times, frequencies, and where they're beaming to. Although the BBC doesn't beam to North America any more, they do broadcast to Africa (and elsewhere), and those signals are quite strong.

On pretty much a daily basis, I still listen to the BBC, Radio Australia, Deutsche Welle, Radio Exterior de Espana, Radio Nederland, Radio Romania International, the Voice of Russia, Radio New Zealand, Radio Japan, and Radio Canada International. Radio Croatia has a booming signal but only a 10 minute newscast. There are other broadcasters out there, too: Vatican Radio, Radio Tirana, Radio China International, the VOA, and others.

Over the past two years or so, Radio Sweden has dropped its short wave service, as have, if I am not mistaken, Radio Slovakia and Radio Prague. Polish Radio has cut back on its frequencies.

Before I got my Novice license in 1974, I was a short wave listener. I am still an SWL, and the hobby has given me tremendous enjoyment. If it's been awhile since you've listened to the international broadcasters on 49, 41, or 31 meters, you should give it a try. There are still a lot of interesting and informative programs out there.

73, Tony N3WAK

Yep, the good old days. The cold war may be over, but you can still hear lots of good old propaganda on Radio Havana Cuba, transmitiendo desde Cuba, territerio libre en America!

I can only take a few minutes of some of our own AM talk radio political rants and bluster with commercial breaks every 6 minutes myself, but I enjoy medium wave DX especially at night in the car. I do enjoy all DXing. It's like fishing to me (what's out there?). I try to avoid the political stuff, but will listen to anything for a moment before moving on unless it catches my interest. Arnie Coro's shortwave radio technology news, tips and tricks on RHC is enjoyable, politically neutral and in English. Radio Romania International has some good quality programming and music coming in on the east coast loud and clear. BBC is and always has been impeccable, but I listen to them on the internet now as they have all but evaporated from the shortwave bands. WBCQ in Monticello, Maine has some excellent programming on the weekends. Ted Randall, Radio Timtron, Marion's Attic, This Week in Amatuer Radio International and many more are all good listening. WBCQ recently moved from 7415kc to 7490kc. Something about the Civil Air Patrol needing their old frequency. There was some interesting technical discussions describing their old Harris xmitter and antenna array. I am on the fence about RCI. China still gets its political digs in, but there is also fairly neutral and interesting programming at certain times of the day. Radio Hanoi gave a nice program of thanks to the American war veterans on Veterans Day. They invited tourists to visit their country and stay at a hotel where 'every day is your birthday'. I suppose that the people of all countries, including the US aren't necessarily fairly represented by what their broadcasters and government send to the rest of the world. I hear of economic devastation, personal successes and failures and bad weather just like the small town radio stations with their rummage sales and barbeques, a microcosm of the whole world.

Radio Australia is probably what I listen to most....usually on the weekend mornings when I get up and they are playing Saturday Night Country with a big signal into NA on 9580....And Vatican Radio's english transmission, I try to catch before bed on 7305.....I also listen to the Voice of Greece on 9420 at night in the summer time, as I am a fan of Greek Culture and Music..(not to mention food)....I know they only broadcast in Greek, but I just like to listen to the rythems of the Bouzuki....And it's kind of funny when the announcers talk...They all sound like Ladka from Taxi sometimes and it cracks me up......I hope they don't go dark as a result of the insanity that is currently going on over there!......I don't care for the new Voice of Russia formats....with the goofey music underneath the news headlines....are they trying to be hip or something???..Makes me wish Carl Watts were still around.....Like everyone else, I miss the good old days when radio was radio.....and every country seemed to have a station beaming to all points of the world, including the USA.....Really really miss that from when I was growing up.....

Radio Australia is probably what I listen to most....usually on the weekend mornings when I get up and they are playing Saturday Night Country with a big signal into NA on 9580....And Vatican Radio's english transmission, I try to catch before bed on 7305.....I also listen to the Voice of Greece on 9420 at night in the summer time, as I am a fan of Greek Culture and Music..(not to mention food)....I know they only broadcast in Greek, but I just like to listen to the rythems of the Bouzuki....And it's kind of funny when the announcers talk...They all sound like Ladka from Taxi sometimes and it cracks me up......I hope they don't go dark as a result of the insanity that is currently going on over there!......I don't care for the new Voice of Russia formats....with the goofey music underneath the news headlines....are they trying to be hip or something???..Makes me wish Carl Watts were still around.....Like everyone else, I miss the good old days when radio was radio.....and every country seemed to have a station beaming to all points of the world, including the USA.....Really really miss that from when I was growing up.....

I use my 1950's vintage Zenith Transoceanic Model H-500 out doors on the Patio in the summer time, and year round (by my bed) I use my Panasonic RF3100 that I got when I graduated High School back in 1984......Love my vintage radios......You can see my Transoceanic on my QRZ site....

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